I love a food festival, but as a vegetarian, I usually face limited options. Not this week! My own little neighborhood and Bangkok’s bustling Chinatown celebrated the nine-day Tesagan Gin Je Festival, an annual event that honors the Taoist Nine Emperor Gods with a strict vegan diet. The festival occurs annually during the ninth lunar … Continue reading Bangkok Vegetarian Festival Delivers
As our fall break approached, I knew I wanted to spend some time in nature. I also missed the presence of horses in my life. Fortunately, a friend recommended a perfect option: Chaowanat Horse Farm, a picturesque retreat located along a river and surrounded by low mountains, just a 3-hour drive away. This was the … Continue reading Horses + Nature = Much Needed Getaway to Chaowanat Horse Farm
Without our own mode of transportation during our stay in Kanchanaburi, we decided to book a tour to visit two local attractions: Erawan Falls and the Bridge on the River Kwai. Our guide, Naa, was a bundle of energy and super keen to snap gajillions of photos for us (when did travel get so Instagrammy?). … Continue reading Lush beauty abounds at Erawan Falls
Here are a few little stories that escaped mention in the last month or so. Hotel Bash At my school’s “Welcome Back Party,” we enjoyed a fabulous buffet (with heaps of delicious vegetarian options!) and hit the dancefloor to boogie on down. Tony rode the metro to the Novotel to join the festivities and meet … Continue reading Catching up – life’s bits and bobs
Within the first five weeks of my arrival in Thailand, I had already spent two weekends at the beach. It’s just too easy and too fabulous. Four hours door to door, and I can be lounging on a beachside beanbag on the lovely little island of Ko Samet. The first beach getaway was organized for … Continue reading Beach therapy – the perfect antidote to transition stress
Over the years, Tony and I have amassed an impressive collection of stuff from around the world. However, I am determined not to surround myself with “stuff,” so I have intentionally purged until all that remains is meaningful in some way. There’s still a lot left, but each item has a story to tell. Unfortunately, … Continue reading “Carpet” provides bright spot in vanilla room
When we first got to Bangkok, jet lag kicked me in the teeth. I kept waiting for my body to adjust to Thailand time, but the anguish ensued. Finally, there was no denying this was not your ordinary jetlag. Something else was wrong. After bloodwork, ultrasounds, and other tests found no clinical reason for my … Continue reading Sooooo many sleepless nights – finally, sleep study reveals root of insomnia
Who doesn’t love a great haircut and fabulous color? The problem is I just hate sitting at a salon for the hours it takes to get those results. I recently discovered Wing Salon in my community, and I got a lovely cut from the owner, Amie. She told me it would take 2-3 hours to … Continue reading Rolling the dice with boxed hair dye
Transitions are tricky. Even when you transition to something better, there’s still a learning curve. My transition to Thailand has been wonderful in many ways: Tony is here and has a year of Bangkok under his belt. My school took such great care of me as I settled in my new house. And thanks to … Continue reading Keeping it real – snapshots instead of feature films
When it comes to Buddhist temples, I have definitely seen my fair share. (Check out my Wat’O’The Week series from when we lived in Laos.) However, I never participated in a temple ceremony … until now. I was chatting with our school’s athletic director, Matt, earlier this week about being a vegetarian in Thailand. He … Continue reading My first “Buddhist Day” – vegan dinner and temple ceremony